Sideswiped and Assaulted

[Cab]

Got to report it to the police. Really. Maybe they'll do nothing, but even so, this guy assaulted you.

 

[squeaker]

Move to Sussex!

I've been told that this scheme has resulted in 5000 vehicles being removed from the roads. Presumably 'cos a lot of f**kwit drivers are also uninsured / driving unlicensed vehicles, and a Crackdown report gets filed and cross checked with the national insurance and licensing databases.

 

[domtyler]

He did say he was riding in primary.

it isn't always the answer.IMHO.

As we have seen in this thread it can lead to an impatient motorist taking a risk to get past the cyclist in primary position.A close dangerous overtake.

I would say that one of the main advantages of being in primary is that it gives you space to escape, room to make evasive manoeuvres in the event of dangerous driving from other people.

In this case, Chris had moved from primary into secondary giving the driver the green light to overtake even though it was not safe to. As he was also now in a weaker position he did not have room to take that evasive action.

If Chris had resisted the pressure to move out the way his position may have prevented the dangerous manoeuvre in the first place or, even if it had taken place, he could easily have braked and moved left out of the way in order to avoid any contact.

 

[ChrisKH]

Sorry to hear this – think police action is pointless – even with an “independent” witness – they will do sweet fa- well done for not loosing it – I’d of retaliated – suppose that makes you a better person than me

I made a judgment call TC. He was bigger than me and built like a bricks^&t house and I was out of breath and likely to come off worse. I could also see there were people around and if any witnesses were to come forward it would be in my favour to remain passive but resisting.

 

[ChrisKH]

I would say that one of the main advantages of being in primary is that it gives you space to escape, room to make evasive manoeuvres in the event of dangerous driving from other people.

In this case, Chris had moved from primary into secondary giving the driver the green light to overtake even though it was not safe to. As he was also now in a weaker position he did not have room to take that evasive action.

If Chris had resisted the pressure to move out the way his position may have prevented the dangerous manoeuvre in the first place or, even if it had taken place, he could easily have braked and moved left out of the way in order to avoid any contact.

Possibly dom. Are you saying I should have kept primary all the way up the hill though?

 

[Mr Pig]

I'd report it. Maybe the cops will do sod all, like they usually do, but even if they just talk to him it might be enough to stop him trying it again.

 

[4F]

Possibly dom. Are you saying I should have kept primary all the way up the hill though?

It depends on the width of the road.

 

[domtyler]

Possibly dom. Are you saying I should have kept primary all the way up the hill though?

The best way to analyse it is to ask:

Would you change what you did if you were in the same position tonight?

 

[domtyler]

I'd report it. Maybe the cops will do sod all, like they usually do, but even if they just talk to him it might be enough to stop him trying it again.

Reporting it will do nothing but waste a lot of time while achieving nothing in particular.

Far better for Chris to analyse exactly what happened and how he could have prevented it from happening or avoid these situations from developing in future.

 

[domtyler]

It depends on the width of the road.

Wrong, it depends only on what is safe[st] for the cyclist. Holding up traffic behind you is a shame for them but unavoidable in some situations.

 

[4F]

Wrong, it depends only on what is safe[st] for the cyclist. Holding up traffic behind you is a shame for them but unavoidable in some situations.

If the road is wide enough to ride in secondary then secondary is fine as long as it is safe. I also don't really care who I hold up when in primary and if someone honks their horn then I will cycle slower however I don't think that just because primary position is there then you have to ride in it at all times.

 

[domtyler]

If the road is wide enough to ride in secondary then secondary is fine as long as it is safe. I also don't really care who I hold up when in primary and if someone honks their horn then I will cycle slower however I don't think that just because primary position is there then you have to ride in it at all times.

Yes, you're right, but Chris has already said that there was oncoming traffic:

"I always pull from primary to secondary position at that point as it's uphill from thereon and it's at that point he overtook me. I was a metre from the kerb but he couldn't get past because of oncoming traffic hence no room between us when he did pass."

I always stick to a default primary, it always seems that the moment you relax and move into secondary in order to let people behind overtake you get some lunatic manoeuvre that makes you wish you hadn't have bothered. When you do hit a nice straight stretch where there are no sideroads, pedestrians or other hazards then of course I move across too.

In this particular instance, given the information I have I would say Chris should have remained in primary until there was no oncoming traffic.

 

[ChrisKH]

The best way to analyse it is to ask:

Would you change what you did if you were in the same position tonight?

Yes, I would have put the Brompton through his windscreen. Why bother with a D-lock?

No seriously, I probably would remain in primary. I don't usually consider the impact of oncoming traffic to a vehicle behind me that much but will do so in future.

I have real doubts now that his behaviour was accidental i.e. careless. There was an element of intent in swiping me; I would know if I was too close being in any car and I have a feeling he was trying to make a point in passing so close. He probably would have done the same if there was plenty of room to pass I think.

 

[4F]

Yes, you're right, but Chris has already said that there was oncoming traffic:


I always stick to a default primary, it always seems that the moment you relax and move into secondary in order to let people behind overtake you get some lunatic manoeuvre that makes you wish you hadn't have bothered. When you do hit a nice straight stretch where there are no sideroads, pedestrians or other hazards then of course I move across too.

In this particular instance, given the information I have I would say Chris should have remained in primary until there was no oncoming traffic.

True enough. Its always a tricky call and I expect he probably would have stayed in primary but probably felt because of the hill then he had a duty to be in secondary. Of course one of the answers would be to get all of these damn 4x4 off the roads as they are just too wide for the majority of our old road network.

 

[Origamist]

Report it, but keep you expectations exceedingly low.

An unfortunate consequence of taking a primary position and having an imapatient driver behind you is that it can lead to the kind of "punishment overtake" further down the road that you experienced.